Why Homeschoolers Shouldn’t Compare Themselves to Other Homeschoolers

I know I’m guilty of comparing myself to other homeschoolers. In fact, I’ve mentioned it on this blog before. And despite the following inspiring quote by Valerie Basham in the Mar/Apr 2014 issue of Home School Enrichment, I will no doubt keep doing it. Yet, that’s no reason why every homeschooling mom should not remember this quote, and perhaps print it out and put it somewhere where you can pull it out on a bad day when the Facebook posts/Twitter feed/Pinterest board/Helpful Homeschooling Book, Magazine, or Website (even, heaven forbid, this blog!) are causing you to feel like a total failure:

 

Each of us has her own unique family situation. When we compare ourselves to other homeschooling moms, it my seem as if we’re all the same, but we’re not! Each mom is special, fearfully and wonderfully created by God. Yet, we want to fit in a box with someone else. 

 

If you want to find similarities, use this instead: remember that every mom homeschools because she loves her children and because she wants to be with her children. We will each demonstrate that love differently, but it’s still love. Likewise, we will each homeschool differently, but our motives are the same: we love our children. That is our common ground. 

 

Author: Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur

Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur, editor of "Today's Catholic Homeschooling", is the mother of two biological sons and one adopted daughter. She is in her seventeenth year of homeschooling. She has a B.A. in History and Fine Art and a Master's Degree in Applied Theology. She is the author of "The Crash Course Guide to Catholic Homeschooling" and "The Fruits of the Mysteries of the Rosary". She blogs at spiritualwomanthoughts.blogspot.com